Postnatal depression (PND) is a significant public health issue, with variable prevalence and a dearth of research on risk and protective factors. This quantitative longitudinal study of 512 first-time mothers identified the prevalence of PND and examined the relationships between functional and structural social support at 6 and 12 weeks postpartum. The prevalence of PND was 13.2% at 6 weeks and 9.8% at 12 weeks. At 6 and 12 weeks, the only social support dimension independently associated with PND was total functional social support. At-birth formal structural support and emotional functional support were independently predictive of PND at 12 weeks.
Postnatal Depression in First-Time Mothers: Prevalence and Relationships Between Functional and Structural Social Support at 6 and 12 Weeks Postpartum - ResearchGate. Available from: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/51173905_Postnatal_Depression_in_First-Time_Mothers_Prevalence_and_Relationships_Between_Functional_and_Structural_Social_Support_at_6_and_12_Weeks_Postpartum [accessed Jun 24, 2015].